Grand Opening Will Be Held April 19^th at Noon

 

     Fredericksburg, VA. (April 11, 2012) – A. Smith Bowman Distillery, long known as a producer of fine bourbon whiskey, is adding tourism to its portfolio. A new visitor center and tour program will kick off April 19^th at its location in Fredericksburg. 

On the guided tour, visitors will have a chance to explore the A. Smith Bowman museum, see “Mary,” the unique copper still, visit the barrel aging warehouse, and end in the gift shop, which contains A. Smith Bowman signed bottles by Master Distiller Truman Cox and other gifts.   Tours are complimentary and run Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and by appointment. 

Gary Skinner, Spotsylvania board of supervisors, Lee Hill district supervisor will join Truman Cox, master distiller, A. Smith Bowman Distillery, for the ribbon cutting at noon on April 19^th.

 

    Who:                     A. Smith Bowman Distillery

    What:                   Grand Opening of Visitor Center and Tourism Operation

    When:                  April 19, 2012 at noon

    Where:                One Bowman Drive, Fredericksburg, VA in Spotsylvania County

Why:                     To offer visitors a unique opportunity to visit one of Virginia’s finest Distilleries!

Note: This event is a private party for media personnel and special invitees only. It is not open to the general public.

 

About A. Smith Bowman

Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition. In 1935, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition of the distillation of bourbon. The original Distillery was located on the Bowman family homestead in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm.  In response to the rapid growth of Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

Whiskey production to resume in Tullamore after 60 years

following William Grant & Sons’ €35 million investment

 

William Grant & Sons Ltd., the owner of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, today announced it will invest in a new, state of the art pot still whiskey and malt whiskey distillery in Tullamore town, bringing whiskey production back to the town for the first time since the original distillery closed in 1954.   The €35 million investment will meet the long-term production demands for Tullamore Dew, the world’s second largest Irish whiskey brand, which is currently growing by over 15% annually and is central to the growth plans of William Grant & Sons which bought the brand in July 2010.

 

William Grant & Sons has agreed principal terms and is in the final stages of negotiating the purchase of a 58 acre site at Clonminch on the outskirts of Tullamore from Offaly County Council.  The location offers a plentiful supply of natural, quality spring water from the nearby Slieve Bloom mountains, ideal for the triple distillation process used in Tullamore Dew. 

 

Work on the new distillery, which will utilise the latest in green technology is scheduled to begin later this year, subject to planning permission, and will support in the region of 100 construction jobs during the two-year building phase.   When combined with the new Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre, scheduled to open in September 2012, the total number employed by the firm in the town will rise to around 25. Tullamore Dew will continue to be bottled at its current facility in Clonmel, where it employs over 60 people.

 

 “This investment by William Grant & Sons underpins our long-term commitment to Tullamore Dew, the town of Tullamore and Ireland.  It represents an important next step in the long-term growth and development of the Tullamore Dew brand, one of Ireland’s food and drink export success stories which is now the second largest selling Irish whiskey worldwide. We’re excited about bringing whiskey distilling back to Tullamore Dew’s roots for the first time in almost 60 years.” said William Grant & Sons’ Chief Executive, Stella David.

 

“The new distillery will not only cement William Grant & Sons’ presence in Ireland, but reinforces the fact that the brand is now firmly rooted back in its original home of Tullamore.   Our distillery will combine traditional distillation practices with the very latest in modern and green technologies to prepare the brand for future growth, while making sure the exact same taste and quality which has made Tullamore Dew famous around the world continues to be delivered.  Irish whiskey is a major growth story internationally and with this investment we’re looking forward to putting Tullamore Dew and the Midlands region back on the map as one of Ireland’s premier whiskey producing regions,” said William Grant & Sons’ Group Marketing Director, Maurice Doyle.

 

 “Offaly County Council is extremely pleased and proud to welcome Tullamore Dew back home in this manner.  William Grant & Sons has invested significantly in the brand over the past 18 months with the refurbishment of the Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre, and now with the plans to construct the distillery have shown the ultimate commitment to the region.  Tullamore has long been famed for its production of whiskey and I look forward to the first liquid flowing from the stills”, said County Manager, Offaly County Council, Pat Gallagher.

 

Tullamore Dew Global Brand Director Shane Hoyne said the new distillery was a key element of the international growth of Irish whiskey.  “If you think back to the 1800s there were literally hundreds of distilleries and many hundreds more stills dotted all around the country.  Since then however Irish whiskey was decimated due to a number of factors including Prohibition, the Great Depression and our own economic and political troubles here at home.  Tullamore Dew is ‘Irish True’ and re-establishing Tullamore Dew’s distillation in a world class distillery in Tullamore, combined with the imminent opening of the new Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre establishes both a real and an emotional home for the brand. This is a dream come true for the brand and its fans around the world and I am sure Daniel E Williams, whose name our whiskey bears, will be looking down proudly seeing whiskey production resume in the town he loved”.

 

Tullamore Dew is currently one of the fastest growing Irish whiskey brands, almost doubling worldwide sales to almost 700,000 cases since 2005.  It is the largest selling Irish whiskey in many markets in Northern and Central Europe while in several countries, including Denmark, Czech Republic and Latvia it is the largest selling whisk(e)y of any type.  The plan for a new distillery has been prompted by the brand’s rapid growth, driven largely by increased consumer demand for Irish whiskey in the USA and emerging Irish whiskey markets such as Germany, Sweden and Eastern Europe where the brand already occupies a leadership position and is outperforming its competitors. 

 

William Grant & Sons currently employs over 80 people in Ireland – in Clonmel, Tullamore and Dublin.

 

Stylish digital experience at www.stellaartois.com lets participants create Chalices in a mythical factory; Thousands will earn a specially-crafted Chalice of their own

 

ST. LOUIS (March 13, 2012) – Stella Artois® has introduced The Chalice Factory, a digital experience that walks participants through the experience of creating a Stella Artois Chalice, the famed vessel that has been carefully crafted to yield the perfect Stella Artois experience.  The Chalice Factory is located at www.stellaartois.com, and will be open through April 30, 2012. One thousand participants will be randomly chosen throughout each day to receive their own Chalice after completing a lively tour of the Factory.*

 

The Stella Artois Chalice represents a feat of beer-enjoyment engineering.  Countless versions were developed and tested before the final Chalice was chosen.  The Chalice’s physical profile matches the flavor profile of Stella Artois – in doing so, it lifts Stella Artois to the peak of its flavor.  Just as red and white wines are poured into specific glasses for peak flavor and enjoyment, the curved shape of the Stella Artois Chalice was designed to enhance the beer’s flavor by releasing the aromas when the liquid is poured and increase the retention of the foam head.  Its elegant “star” stem encourages drinkers to keep their warm fingers off of the cold glass, keeping the beer colder for longer.

 

“You don’t need an engineering degree to appreciate the impact Stella Artois’ specially-designed Chalice has on the experience.  You merely need to love a perfectly poured Stella Artois,” said Rick Oleshak, U.S. Marketing Director, Stella Artois.  “The Chalice is a symbol of our Belgian heritage.  It represents the six centuries of craftsmanship and pride that have led to Stella Artois.  The Chalice Factory welcomes consumers into the world of Stella Artois, and is one way that we intend to express our gratitude for their loyalty.”

 

The Chalice Factory: Step by Step

End to end, the Stella Artois Chalice Factory experience can last more than five minutes.  Participants are led by ALICE, a virtual tour guide.  The experience is interactive; participants can enable a microphone to speak directly with ALICE, or can communicate with her via keyboard.

 

ALICE will help the user select the elements that will eventually comprise the Stella Artois Chalice.  She will guide the user through the mythical Chalice Factory itself, a stylish realm populated by beautiful workers.  She will help the user heat, shape and craft their Chalice.  At the conclusion, she will inform the user whether they can take the Chalice home.  Ultimately, Stella Artois will bestow thousands of Chalices upon Chalice Factory visitors.

 

In advance of the Chalice Factory launch, Stella Artois delivered engraved chalices to dozens of Academy Award nominees in the major categories, as well as select influencers associated with the event.  A national television spot, titled “Chalice Factory,” premiered during the Academy Awards red carpet and awards broadcasts.  The spot can be viewed at www.facebook.com/StellaArtoisUSA.

 

Both the digital Chalice Factory and the commercial were developed by Mother New York / London.

 

 

– more –

 

“It is our belief that that everyone, whether you’re up for Best Actor or watching the awards program from home, should drink from a specialized glass,” said Alexander Lambrecht, Global Marketing Manager, Stella Artois.  “This is an everyday belief in Belgium – each beer in our home country is served in a distinct vessel.  Our customers deserve the finest experience when enjoying Stella Artois.  A simple glass won’t suffice.  They deserve a Chalice.”

 

Beyond new television and digital programming behind “Chalice Factory,” Stella Artois is conducting a retail promotion across the country that runs through the end of March.  On specially-marked 12-packs of Stella Artois, adults can secure a promotional code on the inside of the box that’s redeemable online for a customized, engraved Chalice (offer not valid in Texas).

 

*No Purchase Necessary.  Open to U.S. residents 21+.  Game ends at 2:59:59 p.m. CDT on 4/30/12.  To play, visit www.stellaartois.com/chalicefactory and follow the online instructions for a chance to win a prize.  See Official Rules available at www.stellaartois.com/chalicefactory for complete details.  Void where prohibited.

 

Stella Artois®

Stella Artois® is part of a Belgian brewing tradition dating back to 1366. It is the number one Belgian beer in the world and is present in over 80 countries. Stella Artois® is a bottom filtered, blonde pilsner. It is thirst quenching with a malty middle and crisp finish delivering a full flavor and a hint of bitterness. Stella Artois® is best enjoyed served between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius and should be served in the unique Stella Artois® Chalice according to the 9-Step Pouring Ritual to guarantee a perfect experience of this gold standard lager.